NSF INCLUDES Alliance: Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions

University Of Texas At El Paso, El Paso TX

Investigators

Abstract

This HRD-1834620 is co-funded by NSF INCLUDES, which focuses on catalyzing the STEM enterprise to collaboratively work for inclusive change. This NSF INCLUDES Alliance is co-funded by the NSF Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program, which targets The CREST provides support to enhance the research capabilities of minority serving institutions and promotes the development of new knowledge and an expanded presence of students historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines. This NSF INCLUDES Alliance is co-funded by the NSF Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) program, which seeks to increase the retention and graduation rates of students pursuing associate or baccalaureate degrees in STEM. A nationally recognized alliance established in 2006, the Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI) serves as the lead partner and backbone of the CAHSI INCLUDES Alliance for broadening participation of Hispanics in computing. The Alliance aligns with the five characteristics of an INCLUDES Alliance Program for achieving impact and fostering collaboration: vision; partnerships; goals and metrics; leadership and communication; and the potential for expansion, sustainability, and scale. The vision of the Alliance is: By 2030, Hispanics will represent 20% or more of those who earn credentials in computing. Credentials are defined as degrees and certifications that lead to gainful employment and advancement in the field. Its mission is to grow and sustain a networked community committed to recruiting, retaining, and accelerating the progress of Hispanics in computing. The established Alliance partnerships (academia, industry, non-profits, and governmental entities), which share the Alliance's vision and commitment to transformative change, are located in the following regions: Southwest (Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico), West (California), Southeast (Florida and Puerto Rico), and North (Illinois, New Jersey, and New York). Other partnerships are with some of the most impactful Hispanic organizations in the country (Excelencia in Education, Great Minds in STEM, and SACNAS). It is these vested partnerships that have helped position CAHSI onto a national platform that recognizes the Alliance's record for increasing the number of Hispanics who are competitive in the computing workforce and academia. In order to grow as a national alliance, while at the same time maintaining quality services and staying laser-focused on a shared vision, the Alliance goals are to: expand its infrastructure; create 'on-the-ground' regional leads and connectors to keep members engaged; focus on reinforcing activities that address local, regional, and cultural needs; and foster a culture of results-based accountability. The data management and evaluation teams will collect and share three levels of evaluative data as metrics for progress and improvement: institutional and individual student data; alliance and regional data; and comparisons of alliance data to national data. A key component of leadership and communication is the relevant and meaningful interactions within regions, across regions, and nationally. To expand, sustain, and scale, the Alliance leadership will build partnerships at the national level to advance Alliance partners' reach, resources, and impact on Hispanic students and faculty. Building trust and shared vision through regional leadership, fostering collective impact, maintaining effective communication channels, and cultivating a culture of continuous improvement are essential for sustainability. To accelerate change, CAHSI aims to support institutions committed to advancing Hispanic students in computing; provide on-ramps for other alliances, non-governmental organizations, and partners; and prepare the next generation of CAHSI leaders. By creating distributed on-the-ground support through geographically-distributed regional leadership, Alliance institutions will deeply engage with partners to learn what works well and what can be improved within their specific contexts. Led by a nationally renowned scholar, the CAHSI INCLUDES Alliance research investigation will contribute knowledge on what organizational conditions build capacity to transform development of culturally relevant and engaging educational strategies that support Hispanic students in computing. The investigation will provide valuable insight into institutional and pedagogical mechanisms to better serve Hispanic students in computing disciplines and in other STEM disciplines. Alliance efforts have the potential to scale organizational capacity-building efforts in a wider range of contexts. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.